The vaccines are here and people are venturing out into the world again. International travel is still limited to mostly the Caribbean as the rest of the world grapples with their pandemic outbreaks and slow vaccine roll outs. After more than a year locked up in their houses, however, Americans want out. So where are they going?
We are seeing a lot of bookings for driving vacations, mostly in the Southeastern United States. Road trips allow families to travel relatively safely in their pandemic bubbles, minimizing exposure to others – not to mention avoiding wearing an uncomfortable face mask for hours on a plane (for the record, we strongly encourage the use of face masks, but let’s face it, they’re not comfortable for prolonged periods). Key West was popular earlier in the spring but with summer nearly hear, temperatures down there will be unbearable unless you plan on being in the water the whole time. This is a great time, however, to explore some of the quaint, historical towns of Florida. Many are close to some beautiful swimming springs for an added bonus.
Not interested in Florida? If you live here and are looking for a driving vacation, consider Georgia and the Carolinas. The northern parts of these states have some breathtaking mountain vistas that many of us Floridians would consider too cold to visit in the winter. Asheville, North Carolina for example has the Blue Ridge Mountains, coffee shops, boutiques, and the historic Biltmore mansion (former home of the Vanderbilts). If you are up for hurdles of flying during the pandemic, Las Vegas has been hugely popular with our clients. Flights from most places in the Southeast are reasonable and short and the casinos are offering some great pricing right now. For about $1000 per person (depending on hotel and flight variables) you can easily spend a long weekend gambling the night away on the strip or touring the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. If you’re flexible with your dates and booking far in advance, you may even spend less.
In short, travel is picking up again, though most travelers are just dipping their toes in the water. Deals are out there but as you may have already heard, air and rental car pricing are not as low as one might expect after a year of no demand. Lodging is quite reasonable in most places, though so if you looking to get in a lot of little weekend trips, this may be the summer to do it.
